Door lock



A. L. NELSON May 6, 1941,

DOOR LOCK Filed Jan. 22, 1940 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 A 9N QM. QM RN MK INVENTOR, l /wr A /Vfw Patented May 6, 1941 UNITED ASTATES .l PATENT OFFICE Y l Hnooit Lock* Algott L.Y NelsonQDetroit, Mich.,v assignor to Ternstedt Manufacturing Company, Detroit, Mich., a corporation of Michigan Application January '22, 1940, Serial No. 314,944

9 Claims.

` This invention relatesto a door lock and more particularly a door lock for an automobilev door.

It is an object of this invention to produce a lock which permits the use of a narrowdoor lock pillar. This objectis achieved by arranging the bolt so that it is retracted by power stored up during the opening of the door thereby obviating the need for the usual outsidedoor handle spindle which cuts across the door and through the pillar outside the path of travel of the sliding window glass. j

AIt is also an object of this invention to produce an automobile door lock which can be easily operated from without the door by a flush door handle or push button'thereby obviating the need for. the conventional swinging handlewhich projects from the outside face of the door.

In the drawings:` i H Fig. 1 is a fragmentary view of the outside face of an automobile door and the adjacent hinge pillar with a detail showing of the lock.

Fig. 1 is a fragmentary View showing the lock bolt, striker and outside door handle.

Fig. 2 is a section along the line 2-2 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a section along the line 3-3 of Fig. 1.

Fig, 4 is a view along the line 4-4 of Fig. 1'.

Fig. 5 is a detail showing connections between the outside handle and the toggle.

Referring more particularly to the drawings there is shown a door I hingedat its forward edge to the body hinge pillar `2. In Fig. 1 the outside door panel i3 has been broken away to show the lock in elevation;

'I'he lock comprises a bolt 4 .arranged to interengage striker 5 mounted onr the body pillar 6. The bolt is retracted by a draft link 1 having a lost motion connection with the bolt 4 in theform of a pin 8 xed to the bolt which engages link 1 in the elongated slot 9.` i

The remote end of the link 1 is pivotally connected by pin I with lever II. The leverv I Iis pivotally mounted on plate I2 by pinrl3. The upper end of lever II is pivotally connected Aby pin III to plate I5' which is hinged by means of pin I to toggle link I1. Toggle link I1 is hinged by means of pin I9 with toggle lever I8. Toggle lever I8 is hinged by pin 20 to plate 2| which is fixed by means of rivetv22 to the inner sheet metal door panel 23. Toggle I1, I8 .is biased Ato over center position by spring` 24 carried on pin IB. Toggle I1, I8 is broken byV push button 25 acting against pin I9. Push button 25 -is held vin retracted position by Vcoil. spring 2.6.' Y `A. convolute spring `A21;V is fixed4 to plater|2 as at 28 `and has its free end 29 hooked over-stud 30 (c1. zee-164) on link 1. It is proposed to energize or load coil spring 21 during the initial opening movement of the door I. To this end a slide plate 3| is slidably `mounted along the lower edge of plate I 2 and guided along its side faces by plates 33 and 34 which are welded or otherwise .xed to the lower' edge of plate I2. The slide 3| is yieldably held against the lower edge 32 of plate I2 by tension coil spring 35 which has its upper end 36 hooked into bracket 31 turned out of plate I2 and its lower end 38 hooked into lug 39 fixed to slide 3|.

The operation of this lock is as follows: As Shown in the full lines in Figs. 1, 2 and 5, the bolt is projected, the toggle I1, I8 made, thereby acting through lever |I and pin 30 tohold the spring 21 in compression. To retract the bolt the push button 25 is pushed in to break the toggle I1, I8, dotted line showing Fig. 2. This releases link 1 so that the spring 21 is free to unwind thereby moving link 1 and lever II to the left, dottedline showing Fig. 1, which retracts the bolt. It will be noted that when the bolt is retracted and the door closed, the rounded lower corner of lever I I is positioned against shoulder 4I of slide 3|. As the door opens, slide 3| moves to the left relative to plate I 2, as viewed in Fig. 1. As the slide 3| moves to the left, shoulder 4I engages toe 40 thereby swinging lever Il clockwise, which moves link 1 and bolt 4 to projected position and at the same time energizes or compresses spring '21. As the lever II moves clockwise, it also returns the toggle I1, I8 to made position which holds the lever |I in its original position until again released through push button 25. This' action occurs during the initial opening movement of the door. As the door is swung further open to fully open position the rounded toe 40 o f the lever slides along the top edge 32 of slide 3| until the rubber bumper 42 abuts the door hinge pillar 43 checking further opening of the door. y As the Vdoor swings closed, rounded toe 4I] of the lever |I slides back over the upper edge 32 of slide 3| and bolt 4 rides over and interengages striker 5.

It will be noted that afterthe door has been swung open suiciently to swing lever I I clockwise to stress spring 21 and make toggle lever I1, "I8, which is hereinafter referred to as the set position of lever I I, that upon'further opening of the door rounded toe 40 slides along upper edge l32 -offslider3|. Because of this, after the lever I is set Vit cannotbe released and the bolt retracted until the door is again swung nearlyclosed, that is, until the rounded toe 40 of the lever again passes to the left of shoulder 4l, Fig. 1.

The bolt 4 is projected by the conventional convolute spring 55). To retract the door from the outside, the outside handle 5l, pivoted as at 52, is swung outwardly which draws the draft link 53 in the direction of the arrow (see Fig. 5). The draft link 53 swings the bell crank 54 counterclockwise, Fig. V5, thus mloving the pin I9 and the toggle Il, I8 outwardly past center to break the same. This releases the energy stored in spring 21 which retracts the bolt 4. 2l is stronger than spring 50 so that as the bolt l is retracted, spring 50 is loaded or wound up.

The door is provided with a pivoted pane156 and a sliding panel 51, such as described in the Fisher Patent No. 2,048,605. The link 53 Will be located on the outside of the sliding panel 5l and will connect with the bell crank 54 beneath the pivoted panel 56.

I claim: Y Y

1. In an automotive vehicle body having a door opening, and a door hinged along anedge of said opening, thev combination of a door latch adapted for mounting on said door comprising a retractable latch bolt, a support plate, energy storing' means mounted on the support plate, means connecting said energy storing means with said bolt, a lever operatively connected with said energy storing means, draft means adapted for connection toa xed part of the body, and a lost motion connection between the draft means andthe lever operatable during a portion of the door opening movement tol swing said lever to set the' 'same andy store energy in said energy storing means, and manually controlled means for releasably locking the lever in set position operatable to' release said lever wherebyl the energy in said energy storing means is utilized in retracting the bolt.

2. In yan automotive vehicle body having va door opening and a door hinged along an edge of said opening, the combination of a door latch adapted for mounting on said door comprising a retractable latch bolt,'a support plate, energy f storing means mounted on the Vsupport plate, means connecting said energy-storing means with said' bolt, a lever operatively connected with said energy storing means, draft means adapted for Vconnection to a fixed part of the body, and 'a lost motion yconnection between the draft means Vand the Vlever operatable during a portion ofthe door opening movement to swing saidV lever to lset the same 'and store energy in said energy storing means, a toggle one end `of which is connected to the support plate and the other -end` of which' is connected to said leverfor releasably locking the Ylever in set position and operatable to'release said lever whereby the energy in said energy storingmeans is utilized in retracting the bolt.

3. In an automotive vehicle body having -a .door vopening kand a door hinged valong an edge of .said opening, the combination of a door latch adapted for mounting on said door comprising a retractable latch bolt, a support plate, energy storing means mounted on the supportplate, means connecting said energyA storing means With said bolt,a lever operatively connected with said energy storing means, draft means adapted for connection to a fixed part of the body and movable relative to the supporty plate Ias the door swings, an abutment on said draft means engageable with the lever vduring the initial por'- tion of the opening movement to swing the lever Springto set position and energize the energy storing means whereupon the lever swings clear of the abutment during the remainder of the swinging movement of the door, and manually controlled means for releasably locking the lever in set position operatable to release said lever whereby the energy in said energy storing means is expended to retract the bolt.

4. In an automotive vehicle body having a door opening and a door hinged along an edge of said opening, the combination of a door latch adapted for mounting on said door comprising a retractable latch bolt, a support plate, energy storing means mounted on the support plate, means connecting said energy storing means with said bolt, a lever operatively connected With said energy storing means, draft means adapted for connection to `a fixed part of the body and movable relative to the support plate as the door swings, an abutment on said draft means engageable with one end of the lever during the .initial portion of the Aopening movement of thev Ydoor to swing the lever to set position and .energize the energy storing means whereupon the lever swings clear of the abutmentduring the remainder of the swinging movement of the door, a toggle one end of which is connected tothe support plate Iand the other end of which is pivotally connected to the other end of the lever for releasably locking the lever in set position, and breakable to release said lever Whereby the Venergy in said energy storing means is utilized in retractingthe bolt.

5; In an automotive. vehicle having a door opening and a door hinged along ian edgeof said opening, ther combination of a door latch adapted for. mounting on said door comprising a retractable latch bolt, a support plate, a spring mountedon vthesupport plate, a connection between said spring and said bolt, a lever operatively connected with Said spring, draft means adapted forhinging to the edge of the door opening including a member slidable along the said support plate during 'thev hinging movement of the door, a shoulder' -on said member engageable with an end of said lever during the initial portion of the opening movement of the door to set the lever and stress the spring, and manually controlled means .for releasably holding the leverr in set position and operatable to release the lever whereby the energy stored in the spring is expended in retracting thebolt. Y

6. In an automotive vehicle having a door opening and a door hinged along an edge of said opening, the combination of a door latch adapted for mounting on said door comprising a retractable latch bolt, a support plate, a spring mounted on the support plate, a connection between said spring and said bolt, a lever operatively connected with said spring, draft means ad-apted to be hinged to the edge of the door opening including a .member slidable along the said support plate during the hinging movement of the door, .a shoulder on said member engageable with van end of said lever during the initial portion of the opening movement of the door to set the lever and. stress the spring, manually controlled means for releasably holding the lever in set position and operatable to release the lever-whereby the energy stored in the spring is yexpended in retracting the bolt, the end of said lever clearing said shoulder upon reaching set position whereupon the said end of the bolt slidably' engages the upper vedge of the member whereby Ythe manually controlled means is rendered ineffective to release the lever. 7.` In an automotive vehicle having a door opening and a door hinged along an edge of said opening, the combination of a door latch adapted for mounting on said door comprising a retractable latch bolt, a support plate, a spring mounted on the support plate, a connection between said spring and said bolt, a lever operatively connected with said spring, draft means adapted to be hinged to the edge of the door opening including a member slidable along the said support plate during the hinging movement of the door, a shoulder on said member engageable with an end of said lever during the initial portion of the opening movement of the door to set the lever and stress the spring, manually controlled means for releasably holding the lever in set position and operatable to release the lever whereby the energy stored in the spring is expended in retracting the bolt, the end of said lever clearing said shoulder upon reaching set position whereupon the said end of the bolt slidably engages the upper edge of the member whereby the manually controlled means is rendered inelfective to release the lever, and resilient means for yieldably holding the sliding member in engagement with the lower end of the said lever.

8. In an automotive vehicle body having a door opening and a door hinged along an edge of said opening, the combination of a door latch adapted for mounting on said door comprising a retractable latch bolt, a support plate, a spring mounted on the support plate, draft means connecting said spring with said bolt, a lever pivotally mounted on said support plate and pivotally connected with said draft means, a draft link adapted to be pivotally connected to the body at the hinging edge of said opening, a plate pivotally connected to the inner end of said draft link and slidable along the support plate, said platehaving a notch therein to provide a shoulder for engagement with an end of the lever during a portion of the opening movement of the door to set the lever, and said plate having a raised surface along which the said end of the lever slides during the remaining portion of the opening movement of the door whereby the set lever cannot be released.

9. In an automotive vehicle body having a door opening and a door hinged along an edge of said opening, the combination of a door latch adapted for mounting on said door comprising a retractable latch bolt, a support plate, a spring mounted on the support plate, draft means connecting said spring with said bolt, a lever pivotally mounted on said support plate and pivotally connected with said draft means, a draft link adapted to be pivotally connected to the body at the hinging edge of said opening, a plate pivotally connected to the inner end of said draft link and slidable along the support plate, said sliding plate having a notch therein to provide a shoulder for engagement with an end of the lever during a portion of the opening movement of the door to set the lever, and said sliding plate having a raised surface along with the said end of the lever slides during the remaining portion of the opening movement of the door whereby the set lever cannot be released, and resilient means connecting the sliding plate and support plate whereby the sliding plate yieldably engages the end of said lever.

Y ALGOI'I L. NELSON. 

